Author
Topic: Creap mytle (Read 3299 times)

I'm new to this bonsai stuff, and I have creap myrtle tree in my yard, about 10' tall, that I think the squirrels chewed the bark from around the base about 6" up from the ground. That made the tree thinner there, then the tie I had supporting it broke, and the wind blew it over and made a 90 degree bend in the bottom of the trunk. It didn't break, but it did split laterally. I propped it back up, and bound with nylon tie's, and splinted it. This happened last fall. It came back mostly this summer, and had leaves and some flowers, but then in the middle of the summer ( now ) it died. It has a lot of sucker shoots growing out around the base of the truck. I would like to cut this at an angel just under where it broke to see if I can get some shoots growing out of the trunk. If I can do that, then I will take it out of the ground and try to make a bonsai out of it. Now comes my questions. How and when do I do this? If I cut at an angel, I've read where you should cut a 45 degree chamfer around the edge of the cut to promote growth from there. If I do that, do I cover all or part of the cuts with cut paste. And what do I do about the suckers. Do I leave them? Cut them all off? Cut some of them off. Please, full instructions on how to proceed would really be appreciated. Thank you.

Tony That's alot of questions and not easy to answer completely on a forum like this. I live about 40 miles from you in Reseda. email with your phone number if you want. We can talk about. Posting some pics would help also. Thanks!galloptort@yahoo.com

How and when do I do this? If I cut at an angel, I've read where you should cut a 45 degree chamfer around the edge of the cut to promote growth from there. If I do that, do I cover all or part of the cuts with cut paste. And what do I do about the suckers. Do I leave them? Cut them all off? Cut some of them off. Please, full instructions on how to proceed would really be appreciated. Thank you.

As always, a picture will increase the quality of the responses you get.

I'm not certain what you mean by 45º chamfer. Ordinarily, when chopping a deciduous tree, experience dictates making the chop and coming back later to angle it out so that there is a smooth transition. Crape myrtles are somewhat of an exception as they're looking for an excuse to bud out and will usually be pretty reliable in throwing a bud toward the top of your cut. With the poor health this tree has to be in, I might recommend the more traditional/safe approach of cutting it flat across though.

I'd recommend covering all the exposed wood with a cut paste while the scar is healing over. I can't intelligently offer advice on the suckers without a picture.